INNOVATION, DESIGN & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Our organization helps students learn about innovation, design, and entrepreneurship helping them build a community, form teams, and support promising ideas with funding through competitions. We also provide spaces and other resources for prototyping and testing.
Innovation Forum: Business Plans, Pitching and Customer Discovery with Hugh Thomas October 7, 2025
Join us for an exciting Innovation Forum in October filled with insights and discussions on innovation and entrepreneurship. On October 7 Hugh Thomas, serial entrepreneur and teacher, with over 30 years’ experience in international technology companies as corporate leader. Hugh has been through all phases of the technology company lifecycle, from company formation, fund raising, product development, sales and marketing, organization growth through to company acquisition. Hugh will be speaking about startups, pitching, and the value of customer discovery. Meet the Start Me Up Bootcamp and Columbia Startup Lab teams – RSVP to share a meal and network with the startup community.
Columbia Engineering’s Annual Fast Pitch Competition Applications will go live in October!
Fast Pitch is Columbia’s longest running pitch competition on campus since 2013. Entrepreneurs pitch in 60 seconds to a panel of judges and win up to $5,000.
Fast Pitch is FREE and open to all undergraduate and graduate students across campus. Alumni 2 years out are welcome.
*Preference will be given to current students and first time participants
Fall 2025 Start Me Up Bootcamp
Join a virtual bootcamp program designed to build your startup. The goal of the program is to get out of the building and speak to customers. Teams complete 20 customer interviews in real-time to explore problems facing many industries as they build their solution. Funding for conference travel and stipends are available.
Columbia University Intro to Entrepreneurship Webinar
View the recent webinar recording (August 4, 2025) to learn about entrepreneurship resources available this academic year.
Community
Join the IDE LinkedIn community to make connections, learn about upcoming events and share announcements.
Mentorship Program Fall 2025
Blueprint Mentorship Program
Ready to connect, grow, and succeed? Join a vibrant network of Columbia Engineers. Mentor the next generation, share your expertise, and discover new career opportunities. This is your Blueprint—to connect, give back, and chart your path forward.
News
Columbia Engineering Mourns IT Exec and Entrepreneur Edward Botwinick BS’58
Read recent newsletters for community announcements, news, events and more.